


23

by onelascivious



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's, The Lorax (2012)
Genre: Accidental Cuddling, Accidental Spooning, Fluff, Hazbin Hotel - Freeform, M/M, One Shot, Only One Bed, crackfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26039002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/onelascivious/pseuds/onelascivious
Summary: The Once-ler's twenty-third birthday party didn't go exactly as he had planned. He feared the worst, but when a handsome stranger started talking to him, things changed in a way he never would have expected.
Relationships: The Once-ler/William Afton
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	23

**Author's Note:**

> dr. seuss i'm so sorry

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a banging twenty-third birthday party. Unfortunately for Mr. Once-ler, he couldn’t quite afford the banging twenty-third birthday party he had dreamed of for years. Despite being the CEO of a very successful company, he wasn’t faring very well financially, or emotionally for that matter, due to a recession. He wasn’t in the best headspace when he decided on his banging twenty-third birthday party venue, which was part of the reason he chose the popular pizzeria chain, Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza. Sitting in the incredibly noisy dining area, alone and surrounded by screaming kids, he wondered what in the world had compelled him to book his party here as he took a bite of the less than satisfactory pizza that had been served to him by an animatronic chicken.

The Once-ler’s pounding headache had only been getting worse, and despite having booked the venue for three hours, he was about ready to pack up and leave as soon as he finished eating. The animatronics were stressing him out, and whenever one came close to him he flinched and willed it to go away. It certainly didn’t help when someone tapped him on the shoulder and caused him to jump out of his skin, sending the bite of pizza to the back of his throat before it was ready. He coughed and sputtered, and when he finally got ahold of himself, he turned around to see who wanted his attention. He expected to see a small child, or, God forbid, one of those animatronics, but he was surprised to see a grown man staring back at him. The man was wearing a small smile that the Once-ler immediately recognized as one of pity. His father had shown him the same smile numerous times, so he knew it well. The Once-ler also noticed the man’s bright purple hair, pulled back into a ponytail. He couldn’t help but think it complemented the man’s features nicely, bringing out his hazel orbs and framing his incredibly handsome face in such a way that made the Once-ler’s heart skip a beat.

“You look a little lonely,” the man began. “Mind if I sit here?”

The Once-ler nodded, his voice refusing to work. He moved over to make room for the man, gulping as his bottom slid against the splintery wood of the uncushioned booth. When the man was situated, he held out his hand in friendly greeting, which the Once-ler eagerly accepted.

“The name’s William,” the purplette spoke, holding the Once-ler’s hand in a firm grasp.

“I’m the Once-ler,” he responded, internally cursing as his voice cracked.

“So, what brings you to Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza?” William asked, casually leaning against the table with the side of his face resting against his fist.

“Well, you see, I was supposed to have this banging twenty-third birthday party. I had dreamed about it for years! All my friends were gonna be there and we were gonna have a banging time. But, then the recession happened. My company hasn’t been doing well, and my wallet isn’t what it used to be. I’m kind of on a budget, so, you know, gotta take what I can get. That’s why I’m here. I don’t know what about this place screamed, ‘banging twenty-third birthday party in here,’ (I may have been a little drunk at the time), but I booked my party. None of my friends were able to make it, so I’m here alone. I don’t blame them, to be honest. If I had known what this place was like, I wouldn’t have booked it in the first place.” The Once-ler found it easy to open up in the comfortable atmosphere William had created.

“So, today’s your birthday, then?” William asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. When the Once-ler nodded, William smiled a full smile, then fixed his posture. “I’m sorry your twenty-third birthday party wasn’t as banging as you had hoped, Oncie. Perhaps I can make it better?”

A shiver ran down the Once-ler’s spine when William called him “Oncie.” The only other people to have ever done so were his mother and one of his previous lovers, and it felt strange coming from someone so handsome that he didn’t know anything about. He decided not to mention anything about it.

“What did you have in mind?” the Once-ler asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Well, you seem to be enjoying that pizza,” William observed, gesturing at the Once-ler’s almost empty plate. “Maybe I could, y’know, foot the bill? Including your birthday cake, too, of course.”

“You’re too kind, but I don’t know…” The Once-ler wasn’t entirely comfortable with putting the burden of his bill on a stranger, especially when he was fully capable of paying it himself.

“Nah, come on! Lemme do it. You deserve it, Oncie.” William ended his sentence with a wink.

“Well, okay. If you insist.” Maybe the Once-ler could use the excess money to better his business.

“That’s the spirit!” William gave a huge grin, then gestured for one of the human waitstaff to come over. He ordered two slices of cake, demanding that it be made special for the special birthday boy. When their slices arrived, the Once-ler and William eagerly ate, not leaving much room for conversation. While they waited for the bill to be brought out, the Once-ler tried to make some small talk.

“So, William, are you from around here?”

“No, actually,” William replied, wiping some frosting from his cheek. “I just transferred here from one of the other pizzerias. Got that big promotion I was after.”

“Oh, congratulations!” the Once-ler said, grinning at William’s success. “I’m happy for you.”

“Eh, don’t be. It’s not at all what I was expecting.”

“Really? How so?”

“Well, for starters, it’s way out of my way. I’ve been commuting here for the past few days, but honestly? I think I’m just gonna stay in the nearby hotel until I can transfer back. My car can’t handle long distances really well, and I don’t want to risk anything with it. Plus, gas is expensive. Didn’t quite realize that until now.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry to hear it’s not working out.”

“Thanks. Anyway, do you have any plans for after your party?” William’s deep hazel orbs did not leave the Once-ler’s cerulean ones, and he felt slightly intimidated.

“Uh, no, I didn’t. I was just gonna head out and stay somewhere for the night. I’m kinda far away, too. This pizzeria is the closest one to Thneedville, and even then, it wasn’t a quick trip.”

“Thneedville?” William inquired.

“Yeah, it’s where I’m from.”

“Huh, I’ve never heard of Thneedville. How do you like living there?”

“It’s nice. I enjoy it.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” William smiled, then glanced to his left. “Oh, looks like they’ve got the bill.”

The waiter placed the bill in front of William, and after shoving some money that he didn’t count into it, he handed it back, mentioning something about their boss and leaving early. Then, he accompanied the Once-ler outside into the rapidly cooling evening.

“Hey, William, you mentioned something about staying at a hotel, right?” the Once-ler asked, the cool air seeping through his green suit.

“Yeah, why do you ask?”

“It wouldn’t happen to be Hazbin Hotel, would it?”

“It would happen to be Hazbin Hotel. How’d you know?”

“Well, when I was looking for places to stay, Hazbin Hotel was the closest and the cheapest with good reviews. And I didn’t want to drive all the way back to Thneedville after what I originally assumed would be a fun night of partying, so I booked a room.”

“Oh, cool! Do you wanna carpool? Save us a little gas?”

“Yeah, if you want to. I can drive. I think I owe it to you after you paid for my party.”

“Sure, sounds good.” William shot the Once-ler another wink, the second of the night.

The Once-ler was a rich man, so his car was nothing short of impressive. He unlocked it, then got in the driver's seat as William sat down in the passenger’s. The ride to Hazbin Hotel was short and mostly silent, except for a few tiny conversations here and there. The Once-ler parked, doing a not terrible, but certainly not great job of keeping the car straight in the lines. It didn’t help that his satin gloves kept slipping on the steering wheel. He’d never had this problem before, so why was he suddenly so clumsy? He chose not to entertain the thought, not out of wilful ignorance, but because he was afraid of the truth his mind would eventually find.

William led the way into the surprisingly small hotel, quickly followed by the Once-ler, who had taken some time to get his suitcase out of the trunk. They entered the hotel side by side, and the Once-ler approached the receptionist.

“Welcome to Hazbin Hotel,” she droned, clearly tired and bored out of her mind.

“Hi, yes, um, I booked a room for tonight?” the Once-ler said, feeling awkward.

“Your name, sir?”

“I’m the Once-ler,” he declared as the woman’s nimble fingers worked on her keyboard. She tapped away for a few moments before giving him his room key and shooing him off.

The Once-ler stepped away from the reception desk and watched as William made his way up to greet the woman. They talked for a few moments before he heard her loudly announce, “Sorry, sir, all other rooms are full.”

“Aw, man,” he exclaimed, snapping his fingers. “Well, I guess I’ll just sleep in my car. It was nice meeting you, Oncie.”

As William began to walk toward the door, the Once-ler did what was probably the stupidest thing he’d ever do in his entire life. He ran toward him and grabbed his sleeve, stopping him in his tracks. William turned to face him, clearly surprised, and the Once-ler cleared his throat and began to speak.

“You can stay in my room with me.”

William seemed to consider the Once-ler’s offer for a moment or two before he shook his head. “No, I think I’ll be okay. But thank you for offering. You’re too kind.” He gave a polite smile in addition to his words.

“Really, I insist. You did so much for me back there. I’d feel bad knowing I let you sleep in your car when I still owe you for your generosity.” Did the Once-ler really feel that indebted to William? Or was he doing this for another reason entirely? He decided not to think about it.

“Do you really mean it?”

“Yeah. Really, it’s no trouble.”

“Thank you so much, Oncie. I won’t forget this.”

With the Once-ler in the lead, the two made their way to the elevator and up to their room, which was on the third floor. The Once-ler unlocked it with his room key, then held the door for William. Once William was well into the room, the Once-ler followed him in, flicking on the light and letting the door shut behind him. He peered past William to see what the room was like, and he immediately froze, his eyes drawn to the center. Fear began to course through his veins and he broke out in a cold sweat, suddenly thankful that his gloves would hide his now extremely clammy hands. He couldn’t believe what he saw. It was nothing like the pictures he had seen of the hotel online. Those pictures showed a clean room that was nicely decorated with some paintings, some furniture, and a desk and TV. The carpet was a warm mustard yellow, and there were two beds with pristine white sheets adorning them. But here, in person? Something was wrong. The receptionist had failed to mention one incredibly important detail about this room that seemed to be different than all the rest.

There was only one bed.

The Once-ler, still safely behind William and hidden from view, wiped the sweat off his brow, then announced he was going to use the bathroom before abandoning his suitcase and seeking solace in the brightly lit tiled room. He paced around for a few moments before looking at himself in the mirror. What was he supposed to do? It’s not like he could just kick William out, or make him sleep on the floor. And there was no way he was giving up the bed. He paid for this room, and he was going to enjoy all of it. Truthfully, he wouldn’t mind sharing the bed with William. But the thought made him so nervous, and he couldn’t stop his hands from shaking. What would William think of that? Would William even want to stay with him now? When the Once-ler opened the door once again, he half expected William to have ditched. But, he was surprised to see him sat comfortably on the bed, flicking through channels on the TV. William smiled at him, then gestured for him to come over. The Once-ler reluctantly obliged.

“So, I know this is kind of a weird situation,” William began, “but I want you to know that, as long as you’re comfortable with it, I wouldn’t mind sharing the bed with you.” He gave the Once-ler another smile, this one more gentle than the rest.

“O-Oh, um, yeah, sure. That’s fine with me,” the Once-ler stammered out, stumbling over his words as his brain struggled to process the situation. The last thing he expected was for William, this incredibly handsome man who he met mere hours ago, to be the one suggesting they share.

“Great! I’m gonna get comfortable, then, if you don’t mind.”

As William began to remove his outer layers, the Once-ler decided he would do the same. He approached the door, then grabbed his suitcase and went into the bathroom once again to change into his pajamas. He stared at himself in the mirror, suddenly embarrassed by the yellow rabbit pattern, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it now, so he packed up his green suit and re-emerged into the main room. Upon seeing his pajamas, William grew a huge grin, which made the Once-ler that much more sheepish.

“I love those,” William commented, gesturing vaguely at the Once-ler’s person. “They’re so cute.”

At that compliment, the Once-ler felt his face go red, the blush spreading to his ears. He stuttered out a thanks, refusing to make eye contact, before pulling back the covers and climbing into bed. William was still sitting on top, watching TV, now in just an undershirt and boxers. The Once-ler tried desperately to give him enough personal space to be comfortable, but he also wanted to actually stay in the bed, so he felt very conflicted. When William eventually got bored enough with the TV to turn it off and also get under the covers, the Once-ler’s nervousness spiked. He rolled over onto his side, facing away from William, and squeezed his eyes shut, pleading with his body to just forget about the man next to him and go to sleep. It didn’t work, and he only felt better when he could hear William’s slow and steady breathing, indicating his unconsciousness. He managed to fall asleep not long after that.

The Once-ler awoke the next morning to see sunlight peeking through the curtains. He yawned and moved to roll onto his side before he remembered exactly just what had happened the night before, and what sort of situation he was in. A spike of adrenaline shot through him and his breathing hitched. He hoped to God that William was still asleep, and when he went to roll over to check, he froze. An arm was wrapped tightly around his chest, and his back was pressed against someone else’s body. He knew at once that anything he did would disturb William and wake him up, and he really didn’t need to deal with the embarrassment of that conversation. The Once-ler drew in a breath and held it, his mind racing with what to do. On one hand, a handsome man accidentally spooning him in his sleep wasn’t an undesirable situation, but everything had been so awkward between them the night before, and the Once-ler didn’t want to push his luck. He decided his best option would be to wait until William woke up, and then pretend to be asleep. That way, William could adjust himself, and it would spare him the embarrassment of his bedmate knowing he’d accidentally been cuddling him. With his plan solidified, the Once-ler let out the breath he had been holding, and he began to relax. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, being held like this by someone so attractive who he may have offhandedly thought about kissing a couple times. In fact, he was coming to realize it was actually quite nice.

“Oh, good, you’re awake,” William’s voice said, directly into the ear of the Once-ler, causing him to jump. “I didn’t think you’d be such a late sleeper.”

All at once, the illusion of comfort came crashing down around him as the Once-ler’s heart started to race and his face turned beet red.

“I’m sorry, should I move?” William asked. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable or anyth—”

“No,” the Once-ler said immediately with a certain firmness he didn’t know he possessed.

“Oh, alright.” William only pulled the Once-ler closer, and he melted into his touch. “Thanks for letting me stay with you. I’ll have to repay the gesture sometime.”

“You don’t have to. Just… just stay here. With me. Please.”

“Sure thing, Oncie.”


End file.
